Dough-divider.



No. 687,088. Patentedlov. l9, l90l.

r. n. VAN nounzu.

DDUGH DIVIDER.

(Application Med May 22, 1900. Reunwed July 16. 9011 (No Model.) I 2Sheets-Sheet I.

m5 Momwrs PETERS 03., PHGIG-LITHQ, WASHINGTON. n. c.

Patented Nov. i9 19m.

' F. H VAN Hours".

nous" DIVIDER.

(Applicafim filed May 92, 1900. Renewed July 16, 1901.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

wihlcosca 6; al bi/144475 m: Ncmus PEYERS no PHOTOJJTHQ. WASHINGTON, u.a.

UNITE STATES PATENT Fries,

FRANK H. VAN H OUTEN,'OF FISHKILL ON THE HUDSON, NEW YORK,AS-

sIeNoRTo DUTOHESS TOOL CO PANY, OF FISHKILL ON THE HUDSON, NEW YORK, ACORPORATION OF NEW YORK.

DOUGH-IDIVIDER.

SPEQIFICATION forming part f- Letters Patent No, 687,088, dated November19, 1901.

Application filed May 22, 19 00. Renewed July 16, 1901. Serial no,68,543. (No model T at whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANK H. VANI'IOUTEN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at-Fishkill on the Hudson, in the county of Dutchessand State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Dough-Dividers; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full,clear, and. exact description of the same, reference being had to theaccom- IO panying drawings,forminga part of this specification, and tothe letters of reference marked thereon. This invention relates toimprovements'in doughdividers or machines for subdividing r 5 a batch.of dough into separable pieces for baking in the form of small loavesorrolls; and the improvements relate more especially, though notexclusively, to that class of machines wherein the dough is divided in apan 20 or receptacle into which the batch is placed and which panor-receptaole is then placed'in the machine.

The invention has for its object to provide a simple, convenient, andcompact form of apparatus 'wherein' the batch ofdough is pressed to thedesired thickness and density and then 7 subdivided by one and the samecontinued movement ofthe single'operating a vertical section takencentrally through a machine embodying the present invention. Fig. 2 is aview, partly in section, taken at right angles to Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is abottom plan 0 view showing the arrangement of presserplates and knives.

Like letters of reference in the several figures indicate the sameparts.

The letter A indicates the'bed-plate or base 5 of the machine, usually asubstantially flat and relatively thick plate-0f metal adapted for thereception of the pan or receptacle which contains the batch of dough,and in the form shown it is provided on two of its sides withupwardly-extendinglugs or ears a,adapted to supportand retain inposition an arch shaped frame or yoke Bfor supporting the working partsof the machine. The'atta'ch-v,

ment between the ends of the yoke and lugs i or cars a is preferablyformed by pins 0,

either one of which may be removed to allow the yoke to swing upwardlyupon the other pin as a center for cleaning the partsof the apparatuscarried by the yoke. At the center of the yoke there is formed asubstantially vertical bearing b,'in which slides a vertically-movablestem or.spindle 0, adapted at its lower end to carry the knives tosubdivide the dough and at its upper end to be connected with theoperating lever or handle,

For the latter purpose the upper end of the spindle O is formed into orprovided with a rack-bar c, with which meshes a gear-segment c',journaled in transverse bearings on the yoke and forming the innerend ofor conh'ected for operation with the handle or lever I D. The lower endof the spindle isformedr arrangement of the knives-in plan view being asusual in this class of machines and preferably asillustrated in Fig. 3,although they may be arranged to suit any particular y user or to giveany desired quantity of dough in the several subdivisions. v Surroundingthe spindle- O and preferably also extending up into the bearing'b,soas" tobe supported externally thereby, is a second spindle or tubularextension F, adapted to support the pressing and spreading platesorsurfaces, which give the preliminary con formation to the batch ofdough after the same is placed in the machine, As a con-' ,venient meansfor supporting these plates batch of dough, and to the under surface ofthis plate or frame F the stems f of the pressing faces or plates f areattached in any suitable or usual manner.

As'thus far described, it will be seen that the operating-handlecontrols the knife-spindle in its vertical movements, while thepressing-frame is practically free in its movements, but underthe actionof gravity would, of course, follow the knife-frame downwardly when thelatter was moved in that direction, and, on the other hand, would beforcibly raised by the knife-frame into its uppermost or initialposition. In order now to secure the requisite degree of pressure forthe pur pose of spreading and condensing the batch of dough, I have inthe present instance provided a yielding connection between the knifeand presser frames, whereby the two will be caused to move downward inunison until the pressure upon the presser-frame due to the compressionof the dough is sufficient to release the con nection between the twoframes and allow the presser-frame to remain stationary,while the knivescontinue their downward movement and subdivide or sever the dough intothe desired number of sections. The most convenient form of suchconnection is that illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein itwill be seen that in this form of machine I have provided the centralspindle of the knife-frame with recesses g, and the presser-frame I haveprovided with spring-pressed pins G, having conical or tapered endsadapted to seat in said recesses g and so look the two frames togetheruntil the resistance offered to the forward movement of thepresser-frame becomes sufficient to cause the pins to retreat againstthe tension of their springs and so disconnect the two frames. In thepreferred construction of apparatus the pins G are mounted in transverseways or channels in the plate constituting the body of thepresser-frame, and at their rear ends they are reduced somewhat indiameter for the accommodation of the advancing-springs H. These springsare held in place and their outer ends confined by plugs or nuts H,threaded into the outer ends of the channels or ways for the pins,

and where desired the tension of the springs may be adjusted by settingthe nuts or ,plugs in or out, as the case may be.

The operation of the machine will now be apparent, and assuming that thebatch of dough has been placed in the pan and the pan K has been placedin position, as illustrated in Fig. 2, the operator grasping the handlewill draw the same down and through the segment and rack cause thecentral spindle, together with the knife and presser plates, to descend,and these two frames being locked together with the presser-plates andcutting edges of the knives in alinement, as illustrated in Fig. '1,will cause the dough to be spread and condensed in the bottom of thepan. The pressure of the springs and pins having been regulated to therequirements of the particular case in hand, when the de-' siredpressure orspreading out or condensation of the dough has taken placethe presserframes will be arrested in its further downward movement, butthe knife-frame will continue to move downwardly until the knives havepenetrated the dough. On the return movement of the operating-handle theknives will withdraw from the dough, the weight of the presser-framepreventing the dough from drawing up with the knives until the partshaveagain assumed a position where the pins will enter the recesses inthe central spindle, and the further upward movement will elevate bot-hframes into their normal or initial position ready for subsequentoperations.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, isl 1. In a dough-divider the combination withthe supporting-frame, the knife-frame, the central spindle connectedwith the knifeframe and having a recess with inclined walls in the sidethereof, the rack connected with the spindle and the segment andoperatinghandle for moving said spindle and knifeframe, of thepresser-frame surrounding the spindle and having a limited movementindependent thereof and a spring-pressed bolt on the presser-frameadapted to engage the recess in the spindle when the presser-frame is atone extreme of its movement to connect said parts but adapted to beautomatically moved out of said recess when the movement of thepresser-frame is retarded, thereby permitting the knife-frame to advancewithout resistance by the presser-frame; substantially as' described.

2. In a dough-divider the combination with the supporting-frame, theknife frame, the central spindle connected with the knifeframe andhaving recesses .with inclined walls in opposite sides thereof, the rackconnected with the spindle and the segment and operating-handle formoving said spindle and knife-frame, of the presser-frame surroundingthe spindle and having a limited movement independent thereof,oppositely-movable spring-pressed bolts carried by the presser-framehaving pointed ends cooperating with the recesses in the spindle whenthe presser-frame is at one extreme of its independent movement andadapted to be automatically moved out of said recesses when the movementof the presser-frame is retarded and when out of the recesses to allowthe spindle and knife-frame to descend without resistance from thepresser-frame; substantially as described.

FRANK H. VAN HOUTEN. Witnesses:

ALICE M. KEANE, J. E VAN HOUTEN.

